Over 650,000 visit Sharjah book fair

The increasing number of visitors will break the record for overall number of visitors in a single edition

More than 650,000 visitors attended the first four days of this year's Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) - a record in its 35-year history. The collected data indicates that the current edition of the fair, which concludes on Saturday at Expo Centre Sharjah, will break the record for overall number of visitors in a single edition, surpassing even last year's SIBF which received one million visitors.
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), organisers of the annual SIBF, said the fair has attracted approximately 655,000 people from Wednesday to Friday - a figure that has broken the SIBF 2014 record of 520,000 visitors over the same period.
Al Ameri highlighted the factors he believed have played a key role in attracting a greater number of attendees to the fair this year, pointing to the 'Year of Reading 2016' initiative and numerous other literary-themed campaigns and activities organised by government bodies that have encouraged residents and tourists to visit the 1,681 publishing houses and enjoy the 1,417 activities taking place at there. 
- afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Sharjah